Part 23 (1/2)
”I came to speak to Miss June,” Paul answered in a trembling voice.
”Speak, and be gone, then.”
June wondered that Mr. Linton dare speak in tones of such austerity to a member of her family, but she was the hostess and Mr. Linton her guest, so she offered no rebuke.
”Why don't you speak? Are you trying to frame an excuse?”
Paul's eyes flashed forth a strange, fiery light, but instantly melted to one of dreamy sadness, and in a voice full of emotion he said:
”Pardon me, Miss June, but you will be obliged to come to your father's room. He has been taken with a bad hemorrhage, and a heart spasm. Your mother and brother are with him, and the physician has been sent for, but he seems to be growing worse. I looked for your sister, but could not find her.”
”She is promenading with Mr. Brunswick. Mr. Linton, you will please find her, and send her to us, will you not?” June asked, and then a low moan escaped the lips which had grown so deadly white.
”Go. I will send her,” Mr. Linton replied.
He found Rene seated on a rustic bench beside Max, with her hand clasped in his. She received the message which he delivered seemingly much agitated, but she did not arise, and Mr. Linton walked away, leaving them as he found them.
”Oh, dear,” said Irene with a s.h.i.+ver, nestling closer to Max, ”isn't it too bad? I hope he will not die; I look so much older in black. It isn't a bit becoming, and to think that it should happen right in the midst of our party. I declare it is enough to make any one out of patience. I cannot go to the house, for I should get frightened to death to see any person die.”
”I cannot let you go, then. Perhaps you had better wait until it is over.”
”I am afraid Scott will give me a terrible scolding. You do not know him; he is so cruel.”
”Cruel to you, my darling? The man who could be so is a brute,” and Max bent his handsome head until his lips touched the silken hair of the fair, weak woman whom he was leading on from the high pedestal on which she might have stood, down, down to the lowest depths of woman's degradation.
”Be careful,” she said, smiling and lifting her jewelled hand, ”he might be looking for me; you know he is terribly jealous.”
”How very hard it is to think of spending your life with one so wholly unsuited to you.”
”Oh, dear, yes; and now I see it when it is too late to rectify the mistake.”
”It is not yet too late.”
”Why, what do you mean?” she asked, feigning innocence.
”Divorces are common. Do you understand me now?”
She looked into his eyes and smiled her answer.
When June reached her father's room she found Scott standing at the head of the bed, gazing sadly into his father's face. Her mother knelt beside, weeping bitterly, her silver-gray dress sweeping the carpet.
June cast one loving glance at the white face with its bright crimson spot on either cheek lying back upon the snowy pillow. The closed eyes and the short, quick breath of the sufferer filled her soul with an agony almost unbearable, and Scott, seeing her grief, drew her in a close embrace, and laying her bright young head upon his shoulder, she wept the bitterest tears she had ever known. A silence reigned throughout the s.p.a.cious parlors below, and one by one the guests, who had met there in all their joyousness, quietly departed without formality--left the hearts they had found buoyed up with joyful antic.i.p.ations, now bowed down in deepest grief. Who can portray the sorrow of the heart breaking by the departure of a loved one from life? Paul, unable to control his grief, turned his face away from that of the sufferer, and as he did so his attention was attracted toward Bob, who had perched himself upon the foot of the bed, and in a low, mournful sound called out:
”Good night, good night.”
Mr. Wilmer's eyes slowly unclosed, and while a faint smile rested on his lips he said in a weak voice: ”Good night, Bob.”
The bird, seemingly satisfied, drew his head down and closed his eyes.
”Eva, darling, come a little nearer,” the sick man said, reaching out his thin white hand. ”I shall leave you soon.”